


Cherra's Breakdown

by RaygayRaygay



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: A character dies but then comes back like straight away so does it count as dying?, DnD Shenanigans, Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition, F/M, Rated T for swearing, Sappy old couple, dnd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-30 00:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19031368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaygayRaygay/pseuds/RaygayRaygay
Summary: In which my Lightfoot Halfling feels a rare case of the regret-eos.





	Cherra's Breakdown

Cherra was not a smart old lady. She was aware of this. She acted mostly on instinct and knee-jerk reactions. This, admittedly, had caused many a few problems amidst her current party. However, it had also come in handy on occasion (cough, one-shotting Distant Harmony members, cough). 

This however, was not one such occasion.

In fact, this is quite possibly the biggest knee-jerk fuck-up of Cherra’s hundred year life.

The people who had been hovering above them during their fight with Kril’s mother were giving Cherra a bad vibe, and so, on instinct, she took aim, and shot at them.

However, it seemed that this couple were somehow accustomed to deflecting gunshots. They were also accustomed to splitting the damage. 

It was in that moment, Cherra knew, she fucked up. 

Before she could fully register what was going on however, Atoull had covered her to take the damage in her place - _‘Typical Atty, I could take a few hits myself you kno-’_ Cherra thought to herself, before she was launched into the air and across into Quilik’s big meaty half-orc hands. 

“Hey!” She yelled while adjusting herself in Quilik’s hands to see what the everloving FUCK was going on. “You can’t just throw me around like a ragdoll you giant- Hey! HEY WHERE ARE YOU GOING!?”

Atoull, immediately after launching Cherra across to Quilik, had begun running at top speed away from the party. Quilik seemed to get the message - whatever it was.

Cherra however, did not get the message, and so it was down to Quilik and a minimal amount of his hand strength to keep Cherra contained in his big meaty man hands. 

It wasn’t until a few moments later that Cherra saw what was going on. Why he had launched her to Quilik. Why he had run away from her. 

When he took that damage for her, he had hit critical health.

He was going to blow.

That _motherfucker_ was going to blow up.

Cherra wasn’t normally one for tears. Hell, she was hardly one to get attached to people outside of her blood family (and even then she wasn’t all that attached to some of them). But here, in Ebyssia, in this world far from her home one, she had found this new family, and by _GODS_ was she attached. 

Fear and rage filled Cherra’s body as she felt the hot tears begin to stream down her age-wrinkled face. How _dare_ he take that for her. She _knew_ she was strong enough to hold her own. After all, he was a new addition to the party. To the family. She had held it out so far with him, she could have easily gone on for longer! But no. No, Atoull and his thick metal skull wanted to keep her safe. Safe at the cost of his own tin hide no less.

Before long, Jestery took pity on the party - or perhaps Jestery just took amusement in watching suffering from afar - and teleported the warforged around 200 feet away from where he had reached.

And not a moment too soon.

There was a loud explosion, sending Cherra’s ears ringing, and she watched in horror as all the life was sucked out of the area surrounding Atoull’s husk.

Screaming. Screaming was the only thing Cherra could think to do in that moment. Screaming what exactly she wasn’t entirely sure of herself. 

But by GODS did she curse Atoull’s name for being so reckless so soon after combat. 

For being so stupid just for her health’s sake. 

For leaving her behind.

A few seconds after the explosion had subsided - and all life within 150 feet of Atoull’s body most definitely gone - Cherra’s small legs gave out from beneath her. Calloused hands covering her face as she sobbed into them. He had gone and gotten himself killed before they had even gotten the chance to cement their relationship in words. 

It had only been warm looks, gentle (well, as gentle as a warforged could be) touches, and quiet talks once the others had gone to sleep for the night. 

This. This was why Cherra never got into relationships. Whenever she found herself enjoying the warmth they gave her, it would be snatched away from beneath her feet, and she was left cold and alone again.

Sure, she wasn’t entirely alone this time. She still had the rest of the party. But she couldn’t talk to them about what had just happened. They didn’t even know. (Well, Rune probably knew, but he was always a smartass, and like _fuck_ was she going to talk to Rune about her probably last chance at a love life in this life.)

Cherra was so wrapped up in her spiralling thoughts of what she was going to do now she had lost her closest companion, that she didn’t notice Jestery’s return, and Jestery’s mini speech about how we should all be grateful for Jestery and Jestery’s power. 

Which meant Cherra completely missed the part where Atoull was restored in all his 6 foot, 7 inches of metal glory. 

She only looked up when she felt a cold, but gentle pat on her head.

She blinked into her hands a few times, trying her best to bat away the tears, before looking up and seeing Guardian Atoull. A sheepish smile hidden behind his metal beard. 

Cherra’s face flushed - partially from embarrassment, mostly, however, from rage - and she made quick work of getting out of Quilik’s grip and scrambling up Atoull’s outstretched arm.

By the time she reached his shoulder, she had recomposed herself somewhat, took a deep breath, and screamed right into whereabouts Atoull’s ear should be “NEVER DO THAT AGAIN! YOU ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!” Finishing up the message with two solid kicks to the back of his head before jumping off and returning to the ground.

That’ll teach him to leave her alone like that.

**Author's Note:**

> Idk if I'll post more of my DnD stuff here, but if I do, hoooooo boy it'll be way more fun than this.


End file.
